Social media is an online technology that facilitates the connection and sharing of information. It was initially formed to interact with families and friends. Later, businesses have found ways to use them in their marketing strategies. There are around 3.8 billion social media users in the world today. Social media platforms are a great way to share ideas, information, and inspirations among a large number of people globally.
People can post a variety of forms from blogs, games, photos, live broadcasts, messages, and videos. Most social media users visited the platforms for entertainment and news. Some people use social media for job hunting. Others find them as an effective tool to find people across the globe and build communities. Today, most consumers use social media to discover products and services. It is also where they buy them and make a review.
Today, social media is an indispensable marketing tool for brands and businesses. Yet, more than a technology, social media marketing is both psychology and sociology. Brands and businesses need to identify the right platform where they could find their target audiences. In most cases, the number of members a social media platform has, the more command there is on its effectiveness. The broader the audience they have, the more brands can find their ideal market. Below, are the top 4 social media platforms for businesses today.
With 2.8 billion monthly active users (MAU), Facebook is indeed the top marketing platform for a social media agency Hong Kong. Facebook was founded by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004. Never has Mark imagined that it will be the largest and most popular social network in the world after 21 years of existence. People can find anyone from anywhere in the world on Facebook. For marketers, this means that their potential customer base may have a Facebook account. The main goal of Facebook is to connect people globally. With its broad appeal, the platform allows brands and businesses to transform their customer base into a community of followers. There are around 10 million Facebook Groups today with 1.8 billion engaged users. Facebook makes it easier to sell products and services within the platform via digital shops. With an eCommerce integration, users can now browse products and services within the platform and directly purchase without leaving the app. A video marketing agency Hong Kong highlights the importance of Facebook in video marketing today. It is one of the top 3 video platforms together with Instagram and YouTube.
Twitter was conceptualized by Jack Dorsey in 2006. It was initially an internal messaging service meant for a small group of people. Today, there are around 192 million daily active users on Twitter. Twitter is the go-to network when people search for information, news, and trends. The platform may not have a large audience as Facebook, but it is the most accessible social media platform on the planet. As a tweet only contains 280 characters, it is best to be accurate, concise, and engaging when delivering a message. If you have done it correctly, the Twitter nation will favor and retweet what you have written. For brands, this can mean expanded reach. Many brands and businesses don’t realize the greatness of Twitter marketing. For them, Twitter is a crowd of chaotic and shouting members. Yet by being a fast-paced channel, it is ideal for real-time customer engagement. For marketers, Twitter is a social ecosystem where you can listen to customers’ opinions. A digital marketing speaker Hong Kong suggests including links on tweets to promote blogs, product updates, public events, etc. Brands and businesses should also harness the power of Fleets. These are Twitter stories that disappear within 24 hours. Through Fleets, brands and businesses can create an urgency to convert viewers into buyers.
In 2010, Kevin Systrom founded Instagram, a photo-sharing app. It became one of Facebook’s family of apps in 2012. Today, there are around 1 billion Instagrammers around the world. The platform is more popular than Facebook among younger audiences. With 70% of Instagrammers being under 35 years old, the platform is great for mobile marketing and millennial shopping. High-quality images with a short text description receive an exceptional engagement on Instagram. The platform also has a bigger following in digital tech, fashion, and urban communities. Most brands and businesses harness the power of influencer marketing on Instagram. Like Facebook, Instagram Shops and stickers make it easier for Instagrammers to shop without leaving the platform.
As a visual discovery tool, Pinterest was created by Ben Silbermann in March 2010. It has gained 10,000 followers around 9 months after it was launched. In 2011, it was included in Time Magazine’s list of best websites. Today, there are around 322 million pinners all over the world. A unique feature of Pinterest is the ability to search pins through visual content. Users can upload a picture of a product they want to search, and Pinterest tools can produce the most relevant results. This makes Pinterest the best social media marketing platform for artists, crowdfunding, fashion, food, home improvement, local businesses, non-profits, retail, and real estate. Marketers should take advantage of the low-cost advertising on Pinterest. Recently, Pinterest expanded its partnership with Shopify to boost eCommerce revenue. With 97% of unbranded pinners’ searches, this is a good opportunity for small businesses. They can tap into the power of AR try-on, digital shops, and Story Pins to market their products and services.
Reference: https://www.webfx.com/social-media/which-social-media-platforms-are-right-for-your-business.html